The evolutionary roots of human imitation, action understanding and symbols

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 183-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masako Myowa-Yamakoshi
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Action Understanding ◽  
Action Representation ◽  
Complete Understanding ◽  
Interspecies Differences ◽  
Motor Information ◽  
Visual Motor ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Human Complex

Abstract This paper focuses on how human complex imitation and its developmental processes are related to the abilities for action representation, acquisition of symbols, and language. After overviewing the characteristics of imitation in chimpanzees and humans, I propose a model of imitation emphasizing how these two species differ in the ways they process visual-motor information. These differences may in turn contribute to core interspecies differences in higher-order cognitive functions, not only for bodily imitation but for action understanding through complex referential information from faces, sharing symbols, and language. This ‘developmental-comparative’ approach reveals the development of species-specific intelligences, and shows what is shared and not shared between humans and other primates. In doing so, we can obtain a more complete understanding of the emergence of the ‘language-ready brain’ in relation to its biological and evolutionary foundations.

scholarly journals What Happened to Mirror Neurons?

2021 ◽  
pp. 174569162199063
Author(s):  
Cecilia Heyes ◽  
Caroline Catmur
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Motor Learning ◽  
Brain Stimulation ◽  
Mirror Neurons ◽  
Body Movement ◽  
Mirror Neuron ◽  
Causal Role ◽  
Action Understanding ◽  
Brain Areas ◽  
Visual Motor

Ten years ago, Perspectives in Psychological Science published the Mirror Neuron Forum, in which authors debated the role of mirror neurons in action understanding, speech, imitation, and autism and asked whether mirror neurons are acquired through visual-motor learning. Subsequent research on these themes has made significant advances, which should encourage further, more systematic research. For action understanding, multivoxel pattern analysis, patient studies, and brain stimulation suggest that mirror-neuron brain areas contribute to low-level processing of observed actions (e.g., distinguishing types of grip) but not to high-level action interpretation (e.g., inferring actors’ intentions). In the area of speech perception, although it remains unclear whether mirror neurons play a specific, causal role in speech perception, there is compelling evidence for the involvement of the motor system in the discrimination of speech in perceptually noisy conditions. For imitation, there is strong evidence from patient, brain-stimulation, and brain-imaging studies that mirror-neuron brain areas play a causal role in copying of body movement topography. In the area of autism, studies using behavioral and neurological measures have tried and failed to find evidence supporting the “broken-mirror theory” of autism. Furthermore, research on the origin of mirror neurons has confirmed the importance of domain-general visual-motor associative learning rather than canalized visual-motor learning, or motor learning alone.

scholarly journals Risk Factors for Development of Canine and Human Osteosarcoma: A Comparative Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly M. Makielski ◽  
Lauren J. Mills ◽  
Aaron L. Sarver ◽  
Michael S. Henson ◽  
Logan G. Spector ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Bone Cancer ◽  
Domestic Dogs ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Human Osteosarcoma ◽  
Comparative Review ◽  
Cellular Replication ◽  
Species Specific

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary tumor of bone. Osteosarcomas are rare in humans, but occur more commonly in dogs. A comparative approach to studying osteosarcoma has highlighted many clinical and biologic aspects of the disease that are similar between dogs and humans; however, important species-specific differences are becoming increasingly recognized. In this review, we describe risk factors for the development of osteosarcoma in dogs and humans, including height and body size, genetics, and conditions that increase turnover of bone-forming cells, underscoring the concept that stochastic mutational events associated with cellular replication are likely to be the major molecular drivers of this disease. We also discuss adaptive, cancer-protective traits that have evolved in large, long-lived mammals, and how increasing size and longevity in the absence of natural selection can account for the elevated bone cancer risk in modern domestic dogs.

scholarly journals Comparative Analysis ofUL16Mutants Derived from Multiple Strains of HSV-2 and HSV-1 Reveals Species-Specific Requirements for the UL16 Protein

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Gao ◽  
Xiaohu Yan ◽  
Bruce W. Banfield
Keyword(s):  
Pseudorabies Virus ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Complete Understanding ◽  
Nuclear Egress ◽  
Cytoplasmic Membranes ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Multiple Strains ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
Hsv 1

AbstractOrthologs of the herpes simplex virus (HSV)UL16gene are conserved throughout theHerpesviridae. Because of this conservation, one might expect that these proteins perform similar functions for all herpesviruses. Previous studies on aUL16null mutant derived from HSV-2 strain 186 revealed a roughly 100-fold replication defect and a critical role for UL16 in the nuclear egress of capsids. These findings were in stark contrast to what has been observed withUL16mutants of HSV-1 and pseudorabies virus where roughly 10-fold replication deficiencies were reported that were accompanied by defects in the secondary envelopment of cytoplasmic capsids. One possible explanation for this discrepancy is that the HSV-2 186 strain is not representative of the HSV-2 species. To address this possibility, multipleUL16null mutants were constructed in multiple HSV-2 and HSV-1 strains by CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis and their phenotypes characterized side-by-side. This analysis showed that all the HSV-2UL16mutants had 50 to 100-fold replication deficiencies that were accompanied by defects in the nuclear egress of capsids as well as defects in the secondary envelopment of cytoplasmic capsids. By contrast, most HSV-1UL16mutants had 10-fold replication deficiencies that were accompanied by defects in secondary envelopment of cytoplasmic capsids. These findings indicated that UL16 has HSV species-specific functions. Interestingly, HSV-1 UL16 could promote the nuclear egress of HSV-2UL16null strains, suggesting that, unlike HSV-1, HSV-2 lacks an activity that can compensate for nuclear egress in the absence of UL16.ImportanceHSV-2 and HSV-1 are important human pathogens that cause distinct diseases in their hosts. A complete understanding of the morphogenesis of these viruses is expected to reveal vulnerabilities that can be exploited in the treatment of HSV disease. UL16 is a virion structural component that is conserved throughout theHerpesviridaeand functions in virus morphogenesis, however, previous studies have suggested different roles for UL16 in the morphogenesis of HSV-2 and HSV-1. This study sought to resolve this apparent discrepancy by analyzing multiple UL16 mutant viruses derived from multiple strains of HSV-2 and HSV-1. The data indicate that UL16 has HSV species-specific functions insofar as HSV-2 has a requirement for UL16 in the escape of capsids from the nucleus whereas both HSV-2 and HSV-1 require UL16 for final envelopment of capsids at cytoplasmic membranes.

scholarly journals Developmental studies of visual-motor integration: A comparative approach

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1078-1078
Author(s):  
L. Kiorpes ◽  
G. von Trapp ◽  
A. Pham ◽  
J. Lingeman ◽  
K. Soska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Developmental Studies ◽  
Visual Motor Integration ◽  
Visual Motor

Visual-Motor Organization: Differences between and within Individuals

1982 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 723-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph M. Notterman ◽  
Daniel R. Tufano ◽  
Jeffrey Scott Hrapsky
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Voluntary Movement ◽  
Motor Tasks ◽  
Active Intervention ◽  
Pursuit Tracking ◽  
Reported Study ◽  
Motor Information ◽  
Psychomotor Tasks ◽  
Series Of Experiments ◽  
Visual Motor

The research described in this monograph uses control theory's pursuit-tracking paradigm of voluntary movement to identify several elementary psychomotor tasks. They are simple to administer and tap increasingly complex, nonverbal cognitive or perceptual attributes. Two series of experiments are reported. Study 1 examined the hypothesis that dissimilar arrays of individual differences, as determined through test-retest correlations, may exist among the same subjects: first, across various static and dynamic visual and motor “tasks” selected from the terms of control theory's tracking equations and, second, in the organization of these tasks as represented by pursuit tracking. The hypothesis could not be rejected. Study 2 determined that test-retest individual differences in visual-motor organization not only persisted in the absence of practice, but that they also withstood active intervention by practice. This study also showed that subjects differ reliably in their ability to plan, i.e., to take advantage of coherence in visual-motor information.

Intrahemispheric Visual-Motor Information Processing and Cerebral Functional Lateralization

1979 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 579-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul L. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Left Hemisphere ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Verbal Material ◽  
Functional Asymmetry ◽  
Functional Lateralization ◽  
Motor Information ◽  
Visual Motor ◽  
The Right

A series of stimuli, words and faces, were presented tachistoscopically to 24 dextrals and 12 sinistrals. The stimuli were presented to one eye at a time and the subjects were instructed to respond to specific words or stimuli with a specific hand. The results indicate that (1) cerebral functional asymmetry is related to handedness; in the dextrals, the left hemisphere is more specialized in verbal recognition, while in the sinistrals, the right hemisphere is more specialized in recognizing non-verbal material. (2) An ipsilateral hand-and-eye combination is a valid method of measuring intrahemispheric information processing, provided that the tachistoscopically presented visual stimuli are capable of inciting specialized hemispheric function. The dominant relationship among the crossed and non-crossed visual pathways is discussed.

scholarly journals The Pectobacterium pangenome, with a focus on Pectobacterium brasiliense, shows a robust core and extensive exchange of genes from a shared gene pool

BMC Genomics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eef M. Jonkheer ◽  
Balázs Brankovics ◽  
Ilse M. Houwers ◽  
Jan M. van der Wolf ◽  
Peter J. M. Bonants ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Pool ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Single Copy ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Genome Level ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Shared Gene

Abstract Background Bacterial plant pathogens of the Pectobacterium genus are responsible for a wide spectrum of diseases in plants, including important crops such as potato, tomato, lettuce, and banana. Investigation of the genetic diversity underlying virulence and host specificity can be performed at genome level by using a comprehensive comparative approach called pangenomics. A pangenomic approach, using newly developed functionalities in PanTools, was applied to analyze the complex phylogeny of the Pectobacterium genus. We specifically used the pangenome to investigate genetic differences between virulent and avirulent strains of P. brasiliense, a potato blackleg causing species dominantly present in Western Europe. Results Here we generated a multilevel pangenome for Pectobacterium, comprising 197 strains across 19 species, including type strains, with a focus on P. brasiliense. The extensive phylogenetic analysis of the Pectobacterium genus showed robust distinct clades, with most detail provided by 452,388 parsimony-informative single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified in single-copy orthologs. The average Pectobacterium genome consists of 47% core genes, 1% unique genes, and 52% accessory genes. Using the pangenome, we zoomed in on differences between virulent and avirulent P. brasiliense strains and identified 86 genes associated to virulent strains. We found that the organization of genes is highly structured and linked with gene conservation, function, and transcriptional orientation. Conclusion The pangenome analysis demonstrates that evolution in Pectobacteria is a highly dynamic process, including gene acquisitions partly in clusters, genome rearrangements, and loss of genes. Pectobacterium species are typically not characterized by a set of species-specific genes, but instead present themselves using new gene combinations from the shared gene pool. A multilevel pangenomic approach, fusing DNA, protein, biological function, taxonomic group, and phenotypes, facilitates studies in a flexible taxonomic context.

scholarly journals Cognitive Functions Mediate the Effect of Preterm Birth on Mathematics Skills in Young Children

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Anna Adrian ◽  
Roger Bakeman ◽  
Natacha Akshoomoff ◽  
Frank Haist
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Phonological Processing ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Early Mathematics ◽  
Visual Motor Integration ◽  
Mathematics Skills ◽  
Visual Motor ◽  
Number Skills

AbstractChildren born preterm are at risk for cognitive deficits and lower academic achievement. Notably, mathematics achievement is generally most affected. Here, we investigated the cognitive functions mediating early mathematics skills and how these are impacted by preterm birth. Healthy children born preterm (gestational age at birth < 33 weeks; n = 51) and children born full term (n = 27) were tested at ages 5, 6, and 7 years with a comprehensive battery of tests. We categorized items of the TEMA-3: Test for Early Mathematics Abilities Third Edition into number skills and arithmetic skills. Using multiple mediation models, we assessed how the effect of preterm birth on mathematics skills is mediated spatial working memory, inhibitory control, visual-motor integration, and phonological processing. Both number and arithmetic skills showed group differences, but with different developmental trajectories. The initial poorer performance observed in the preterm children decreased over time for number skills but increased for arithmetic skills. Phonological processing, visual-motor integration, and inhibitory control were poorer in children born preterm. These cognitive functions, particularly phonological processing, had a mediating effect on both types of mathematics skills. These findings help define and chart the trajectory of the specific cognitive skills directly influencing math deficit phenotypes in children born very preterm. This knowledge provides guidance for targeted evaluation and treatment implementation.

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